Newsletter Vol No. 04

Achiever CHESHIRE HOMES INDIA - NATIONAL COUNCIL

A Member of the Leonard Cheshire Global Alliance

There are 23 Cheshire Homes

in India (Bangalore, Burnpur,

CDT,Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore,

Coorg, Dehradun, Delhi, Jamshedpur,

Katpadi, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore,

Mukampala, Mumbai,Nagapattinum,

Prakasam, Ranchi, Serampore, Trivandrum,

Tollygunge, Tuticorin). Each of these homes

is independent, managed by its own

management board, serving the cause of the

disabled, the terminally ill and the elderly.

They are linked to the Leonard Cheshire

Disability (LCD), an international

organization, through the Cheshire Homes

India-National Council. Cheshire Homes

have been expanding their activities to serve

a larger number of people with disability

through Community Based Rehabilitation

(CBR) program, such as Access to Health,

Livelihood Training and Employment,

Inclusive Education and Advocacy to

sensitize the Government and the public at

large. Today, the Cheshire Services in India

reach out to around 20,000 persons in a year

with disabilities directly across India.

The Newsletter serves as a link between the Cheshire Homes in India and

enables each of us to learn and know what the other Homes are doing. Please

therefore keep contributing on your activities. Many Homes which had

interesting activities have unfortunately not shared it with us this time- a loss for

all.

I had the opportunity to attend the golden Jubilee celebrations at The Mangalore

Cheshire Homes in September. A magnificent function which was attended by

leading public figures of Mangalore..

In October I visited the Cheshire Homes at Dehradun, Lucknow and Delhi and

the Raphael International Centre Dehradun. All the Homes have well managed

residential programs and tailor made outreach programs for PWCs and PWDs

suiting their own specific environment.

Clair Pelham, CEO LCD, visited in November when she explained the LCD

International Strategy 2015-2020.The aim is to double the impact ,enriching the

lives and promoting independence for more than a 100,000 persons with

disabilities in Africa (South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe) and

Asia.(Bangladesh, China, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka,) . The primary

focus will be on Education and Livelihood. LCD will continue to raise funding

for these programs but this needs to be supported with local funding by the

independent Cheshire Homes.

The LCD South Asia Regional Conference on Skype was held in September with

LCD and some regional members participating to assess the benefits and

challenges and governance issues relating to the Global Alliance.

A brief history of Lord Leonard Cheshire in India and the evolution of Cheshire

movement in India have been made by a volunteer from Glaxo, Smith Kline ,

courtesy LCD, with the support of Mr Deshpande, SARO and National council

committee members. It will be presented at the National Council AGM in

February 2016.

I hope you enjoy the Newsletter specially the success stories of the people with

disabilities

With regards

Rana Philip

Chairman

Cheshire Homes India – National council

ABOUT

CHI Delhi CH Delhi conducted various activities

Energy saving lighting has also been introduced in the wards. (June, 2015)

Learning Centre.

During the year we had an average of 70 disabled children who are picked up by us from their homes (SLUMS) and

transported to our premises and provided mid day meals and snacks for the day. Four Special Educators and a dance teacher take

care of them and also give them an opportunity to learn as much as they are able to.

Children received an invitation for Puppet Show from India International Centre. (17 Jul 15)

Dental check up for inmates was organized along with Health talk & Puppet Show depicting the importance of good oral hygiene.

Free toothpastes were distributed by Dr. Neelima from Humdard University. (August, 2015)

Celebrated Independence Day (August, 2015)

Children of Learning Centre participated in Special Olympic Games held in Tyagraj Stadium, Delhi. (August, 2015)

A festival of ‘Raksha Bandhan’ was celebrated with great enthusiasm. (August, 2015)

Lord Krishna’s ‘Janmashtami Utsav’ was celebrated with high spirit. (September, 2015)

Founder’s day, an annual event was celebrated on 7th September, 2015.

Funding through various CSR programmes is specified by the government.

Received CHI-DU Disability Certificate, under the disabilities Act from Delhi State Government.

A letter of appreciation is received by our resident Deepanshu (student of Sarvodya Govt School) for his academic performance in

class 12th, CBSE Examination from Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister of HRD, Govt. of India.

Krishna Bhajan Sandhya,

an entertainment-cum-

spiritual event was

organized for the

residents. (July, 2015)

Regular visits by

volunteers from

multinational companies

such as Starbuks Pvt Ltd

Gurgaon, Accenture Co.,

Lions Club, entertained

our residents. They also

provided gift items with

snacks etc. (July,2015)

School Visits by: St. George’s School Alaknanda Green field School,

JP School and Birla VidyaNiketan (August,2015)

School Visits by: St. George’s School AlaknandaGreen field School,

JP School and Birla VidyaNiketan (August,2015)

A visit by the students of Salokaya College of

Nursing. They also purchased various products

from the Day care Centre (August,2015)

A festival of ‘Raksha Bandhan’ was celebrated with great

enthusiasm. (August, 2015)

Renovation and maintenance of the residential accommodation

was carried out. An additional bore well was commissioned to

overcome the shortage of water at the Cheshire Home.

Ms. Pushy Ghai (W/o of Late Brig. VK Ghai, PVSM) endorsed

her remarks in the visitor’s book,

“Quote”, it is wonderful to see

the progress of the Cheshire

Home on my visit after more than

one year. I can only say that the

home is in very capable hands

and I wish it more and more

progress and happiness to the

inmates “Unquote”.

Independence Day was celebrated on 15 Aug. Flag hoisting was

carried out. Children from Navyuga Radiance School put up an

entertainment programme for the residents.

Mr. Vijay Gupta from GD Goenka School, Shaheed Path visited

the Home along with 76 students for interacting with the resident

and entertaining them on 25 Aug 2015. ) Children from CMS

Gomti Nagar visited the Cheshire Home.

Raksha Bandhan was celebrated with the residents.

Movie was screened for the residents by TAJ VIVANTA. The

residents enjoyed the Movie.

CHI- Lucknow

CHI-Mangalore

Golden Jubilee of the Home celebrated on the 27th of

September 2015

WORLDS MENTAL HEALTH DAY – 2015 on 10.10.2015

The Chief Guest was Dr. K. VijayaKarthikeyan., I.A.S., Commissioner - Coimbatore Corporation along with our Special Invitees,

Mr. Chandrasekar, District Differently abled officer, Mrs. Karuna – Vice President – IMA, Our Patient residents, various type of

differently abled, our Committee members, Staff and General community.

Theme of the day was “Dignity in Mental Health”. Various

events like sports and singing were conducted among our

residents, the winners were then appreciated by giving

Sheilds

Self Employment Kit Distribution Activity

LRC was shortlisted among 20 PWDs with various types of

differently abled people who required self employment

enhancement. They were given self employment kits like Shop

alteration, Lamination machine, Electronic Weight machine,

Petty Shop provision, Bakery shop provision, Display bottles

etc., The GVG group of companies sponsored Rs.70000/-

Seventy Thousand towards self employment kit purchase.

CHI- Coimbatore

INSPIRATION

Ms. Shilpa says:“Thanks to CHI-BU (Cheshire Homes India) Bangalore, I am the FIRST DEAF PERSON to get a job with Shangri-

La Hotel”– Says a young, vibrant, and fresh out of college girl Shilpa (Deaf) who got placed with Shangri La at the Job fair conducted by

CHI BU on July 25th”

A girl from Malavalli, near Mandya and with 75% deafness. She comes from a poor family background where her family doesn’t

understand her sign language. Shilpa completed her SSLC from a Kannada medium school in Puttaveeramma School for the deaf girls.

Teachers knew a little bit of sign language, and all the girls with her were deaf. Hence she dint face problems in school life. Understood all

the lessons and did well in exams. She later joined JSS College for Diploma in Architecture. This was very difficult for me as all subjects

were in English and it was difficult for me to understand since I was from a Kannada medium school.

Mr. Modayil Philip-Chairman, visited the facilities at the Home was impressed by the

cleanliness, housekeeping and the introduction of new activities like: Transporting the children

with disability from the city, exposing them to music, simple training and giving them lunch;

Computer training for PWDs; Tailoring classes for PWDS; Physiotherapy for the residents and

others in the locality and outreach training program in two adjoining villages with two

recruited teachers.

Mr. Philip informed the committee members of the LCD strategic plan and the focus was on

outreach programs on Health, Education and Livelihood. He further apprised the members that

the initial program of Group Capt Cheshire to provide succor to the suffering and incurables

has now been changed to focusing on the PWDS who account for 15% of the population (WHO

data) and expanding the impact of Cheshire services to thousands of PWDS. However the

existing activities of the Homes must continue but future direction should be in favour of these

outreach programs.

CHI - Dehradun

She further says a resource person from CHI-BU came to my college in 2015 when I was in the final

year and explained about the different classes they have for the deaf. My training here was for 15

days on Retail and hospitality sector. While I was studying at JSS, I did not know where I can get a

job or what kind of job is suitable for me. I didn't know how to get the information. I have never

prepared a resume before and found it tough to put my ideas across to people. After I joined LRC,

undergone 2 months IT training where I learnt basic MS word, Excel, Internet and also learnt how to

prepare resume; where to get jobs and most of all they gave me the confidence which I lacked

previously in my life.

Later, LRC organized a job fair where I got a job with Shangri-La Hotel as Service Associate –

Uniform, earning per month 12,514/-. And I am the FIRST DEAF to be appointed at there. I am very

happy about it and I think without the training of LRC, I would not have got this job.

Apart from CHI-BU I am very grateful for my mother in my life. This is because she has struggled a

lot to bring me up and dedicated her whole life to me and my brother, without her I wouldn’t have

studied so much or got this job, I want to take good care of her and support her now.

Aarti was the first to get recruited in her batch and was offered a job profile of clerical assistant considering her educational

qualifications, with a starting salary of Rs.8000/- per month. This was with a Mumbai based trading company, importers and exclusive

distributors of creative and designer of glassware from Europe and Asia.

The One “Chance”

For Aarti this was to be the “One Chance”, like for any debutant selected into the national cricket squad, representing the country, and give

the best possible performance. It took less than 3 months for Aarti to demonstrate her ability, knowledge and skills. She got an

unprecedented transfer the firm’s sales department, with a raise in salary, which was now Rs.9,000/- per month. While the life continues to

smile at Aarti, who, with sheer hard work, work discipline, self motivation and integrity earned her what she truly deserves. As an added

benefit (as an exception), the employer also reimburses the cost of travel including the cab (which is substantially expensive), from the

nearest railway station to the office and back, in an attempt to make it convenient for Aarti and two of her colleagues with disability.

It might appear to be a fairy tale, but it has taken several years of persistence, perseverance and

determination, which only Aarti and her supportive family know what they have been through, for this

‘One Chance’, despite innumerable rejections.

“When we recruited Aarti, there was a certain element of charity in our perception and attitude. But

what we realize over a period of time is that she is very capable, like anyone of the employees here. I

think she deserves what she has got, and much more” says Mr. Balkrishna Jhunjhunwala, the director of

the firm, and goes on to say that he would be glad to recruit more members like Aarti into his team here.

“I am glad that my entire team is very supportive of Aarti, helping her transition smoothly into the new

workplace” adds Mr. Jhunjhunwala.

“I thought (in the beginning) whether I would be able to do this (Job), considering that I had not travelled by (Suburban) train prior to this

(Job), and I am glad that I do it alone every day. The colleagues here are very supportive, and I cannot express as to how love my job, and

look forward to coming here (office) everyday.” Says Aarti with a smile while working on the desktop at her workstation, even as she names

a two of her senior colleagues, who are mentoring her at workplace.

“Today I am well placed in life!” says Pramodha (26) of Bengaluru

I am speech and hearing impaired from birth. But I did not let my disability come in the way of my studies. I worked very hard to complete

my high school from Shanti Dhama High School. Then I graduated from Ken School of Arts with a degree in Visual Arts.

After studies, I started searching for jobs but was unable to get any placements suited to my

qualifications and my interests. I was disheartened. I had such high hopes for myself but there was

nothing I could do to convince my prospective employers of my capabilities. After a series of

disappointing job interviews, a friend of mine referred me to CHI-BU (Cheshire Homes India,

Bangalore Unit). I learnt about their work among people with disabilities and how successful

their placement service was. With great expectations I registered my name at CHI-BU.

The CHI-BU team gave me 3-month training in computer software which included learning about Excel, MS office, Power point, and the

internet. They equipped me with courses in grooming, resume preparation, and how to tackle interviews.

At that time CHI-BU was busy organizing a special recruitment drive for Enrich Salon - a company focusing on Training, Services and

Quality standards in beauty services. I participated in their selection process and completed their aptitude tests satisfactorily. Then I

appeared for a face-to-face interview with the company executives. I was nervous but the trainings with CHI-BU had given me enough

confidence. I could not believe my luck when I was selected as an Executive in Enrich Salon on an emolument of Rs.14000/- per month.

My work involves billing/Sending emails (reports) to the head office on daily basis and working on Excel)

At last I had found an employer who believed in my capabilities and was willing to give me a chance to prove myself. My heart was

bursting with pride and happiness.

DONATIONS

Cheshire Homes India is a nonprofit organization supported largely by individual donations and

volunteers. It has all the required approvals: Society registration certificate, FCRA approval, Income

tax 12-A certificate, 80 G form, PAN card etc. Any donation is welcome and we shall provide the

80G tax certificate. We look forward to contribution from individuals and request companies to

include us in their CBR programs. These funds shall be used for all the 23 Cheshire Homes in India.

The cheques and bank drafts should be made in the name of Cheshire Homes India and payable in

Bangalore and sent to our Bangalore address, as under. Please provide your name, address and PAN

number as anonymous donations are prohibited under the IT Act.

Cheshire Homes India - National Council

Opp. Manipal Hospital, HAL Airport Road, Bangalore – 560017

Phone Nos.: +91-80-25200585 / 25275332

Website: www.cheshireindia.org,

Email chinc.blr@gmail.com / nc@cheshireindia.org